1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a raceway assembly which can be employed with power conductors and telephone or data conductors and can be mounted either inlaid in a wall or along the surface of a wall or panel. More particularly this invention relates to a outlet or a receptacle housing which can be employed with a raceway containing a plurality of compartments, each compartment containing a unique set of wires, such as power, telephone or data conductors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Surface raceway systems are generally unique and include a plurality of subsidiary separate components which must be assembled to form a completed assembly. Surface applied or mounted raceways are described in a number of issued patents including the following.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,404,706 discloses raceways having a rectangular shaped channel formed base having sidewalls with reversibly bent in-turned ends to engage a cover. Corner or end fittings are secured to the raceways by separate couplings which are screwed both to the raceways and the fittings. Mounting plates for receptacles, switches and other wiring devices are clamped to the base between covers to prevent removal by an outward force. A cover section joint-shielding member for providing complete shielding against outside interference has a shield plate having a greater width than the supporting strap to which it is attached to provide complete shielding when the shield plate is snapped in place to a raceway base between adjacent cover sections.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,360,705 discloses a corner fitting for an aluminum raceway system having two isolated wiring compartments in which telephone wiring and electrical power can be channeled to office work stations. A continuity coupling is secured by screw fasteners between the corner fitting and upstream and downstream raceways.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,017,137 discloses an electrical raceway having a channel-shaped cover having parallel sidewalls extending for cooperating interlocking engagement with the raceway base and a plurality of receptacles mounted in the cover. Ribs on opposite sides of the receptacle engage accurate projections on the cover sidewalls to retain the receptacles in assembly with the cover.
Conventional metal raceways normally comprise an aluminum raceway base to which an aluminum cover is snap-fitted. Separate compartments extending longitudinally in the raceway can be defined by separate snap-fit or screw down dividers or by divider walls extending from the base of the raceway. Although the cover extends along the majority of the length of a conventional raceway, some provision must be made to provide an interface between the wires in the raceway and external components. Conventional raceway assemblies include covers with duplex receptacle cutouts and covers having communication or data cutouts. Normally the cutouts for either duplex power receptacle or for communications in data outlets, such as modular telephone jacks, are positioned in alignment with the appropriate compartment, either at the top or the bottom of the raceway obtaining the corresponding electrical cable. Generally the cutouts in outlet cover plates are offset because applicable safety standards require that separate compartments containing different conductors must be separated, for example power conductors must be isolated from data conductors. Although either power, data or telephone outlets could be located at any axial position along the raceway, the height of conventional receptacle cutouts are still different, thus resulting in an unaesthetic appearance.
The instant invention provides an outlet receptacle which can be used on a surface mounted raceway or can be used on a raceway which is recessed into a groove along a wall, and permits individual receptacle outlets to be located at the center of the raceway. Thus receptacles for power, receptacles for communication cables, and receptacles for data can all be positioned in the center of the raceway.